There is an urgent need for an alarm device which is simple and can be used for a variety of alarm purposes. Many patents have been granted on different alarm devices. Some of these are hand-held devices and a typical device of this type is shown in the Miethe U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,723 which is a battery-operated position responsive unit very similar to that of a flashlight. The device is primarily intended to be worn on clothing and detect the falling a person. If it is used as an attack device, it could readily be picked up by the assailant and deactivated.
The Grotjahn U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,548 does show two movable members which are normally held together and which are allowed to separate when an attack occurs. The device is a relatively expensive device and employs a radio transmitter. Furthermore, it also suffers from the drawback that an assailant could pick up the device and turn off the alarm. Furthermore, both the devices of the Miethe and the Grotjahn patents are limited in their applications and are primarily of value as a body-worn or hand-held alarm.
Numerous patents have been granted on door alarms to warn of the opening of a door. Typical of such patents are the Love U.S. Pat. No. 804,241, the D'Almaforte U.S. Pat. No. 1,567,921, the Davies U.S. Pat. No. 1,545,947 and the Davis U.S. Pat. No. 452,597. As far as the applicants are aware, all of the known devices of this type which go between a door and an adjacent jamb or other member are primarily designed for that purpose and are unadaptable for other purposes. Furthermore, they require that the door be actually moved.